Tuesday, 20 February 2018

AJK and GB democratic deficit, way out, Manzoor Gilani

Empowerment will
support the Kashmiri freedom struggle against occupying Indian forces

FEBRUARY
21, 2018

Parts
of princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)
and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) under the administrative control of Pakistan are
neither its constitutional part nor autonomous to be called as ‘local
authority’ as mandated by UNCIP. Despite that they are controlled by the
Government of Pakistan directly as well as indirectly through AJK and GB
council headed by Prime Minister of Pakistan, federal bureaucracy at Islamabad,
Muzaffarabad and Gilgit without any representation in policy and
decision-making institutions affecting these areas more than any other part of
Pakistan.AJK and GB, though governments in name, are practically
non-entity and hostage to federal structure. Democrat deficit in both the
areas and resentment against it, is more than loud. GB Assembly has passed two
resolutions and all factions of AJK political leadership and civil society led
by its prime minister Raja Farooq Haider from front are vociferous in demand.
Although they differ in details, but agree in substance.

Perceiving
the resentment and demand for empowerment, the prime minister of Pakistan, Mr
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has agreed to scrape the most condemned AJK and GB
councils and devolve all the powers to elected governments of these areas on
the pattern of 18th amendment of the constitution of Pakistan in two separate
meetings with the authorities of these two areas. It is a welcome break-through
if the authorities who matter do not leak under the pressure of beneficiaries
of the status quo.

Indian
claim over these areas under the disputed accession deed by the former ruler,
cease-fire violations throughout the CFL, its propaganda of subjugation of the
rights of the people of these areas fuelled by some self-styled human rights
activists in Europe and America, absence of any constitutional linkage between
these areas and mainland of Pakistan, besides many other reasons, are very
sensitive issues which make the constitutional empowerment, linkage and reforms
inevitable and, time is running out.

The
empowerment will lend support to uncontrolled and unmanageable struggle for
freedom by Kashmiris in Kashmir under Indian control by seven lac Indian forces
with all its might.

Perceiving the resentment and demand for empowerment,
the prime minister of Pakistan, Mr Shahid Khakan Abasi has agreed to scrape the
most condemned AJK and GB councils and devolve all the powers to elected
governments of these areas on the pattern of 18th amendment of the constitution
of Pakistan in two separate meetings with the authorities of these two areas.
It is a welcome breakthrough if the authorities who matter do not bend under
the pressure from beneficiaries of the status quo

Acceding
to the demand of empowerment will be in line with the commitment of Pakistan
under Article 257 of its constitution to the extent of these areas to attract
and make the people struggling for freedom to believe that Pakistan means
business.

The
formula of quantum and extent of autonomy is very simple and comprehendible
i.e. scraping the colonial authority of AJK — GB councils, devolving all
those (+tax powers in addition to them) to these areas which are given to
provinces of Pakistan under 18th amendment in particular, in return all powers
of federal nature should vest in federal parliament and Government, give
provisional representation equal to the provinces pending final resolution of
Kashmir dispute to these areas in parliament, CCI, NEC, NFC, (Articles 153 to
163 of constitution of Pakistan) the local constitutional orders of these areas
may be passed by parliament under Art 258 of constitution of Pakistan by
consensus and approval of the elected representatives of these areas in their
assemblies.

Given
the disputed nature of both the areas under UNSC Resolutions, the nature and
process of empowerment must be similar and simultaneous.

About Me

Dr Shabir Choudhry has done extensive research on the issue of Kashmir and Indo Pakistan relations. He passed BA Honours in Politics and History, and Mphil in International Relations (title of the thesis, ‘Kashmir and Partition of India’); and title of his PhD thesis is ‘Kashmir- An issue of a nation not a dispute of a land’.

Apart from this Dr Shabir Choudhry passed Post Graduates Certificates in Education, and NVQ Assessor’s qualifications; and taught English in London.

Political Achievements

Founder member of JKLF (Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front established in 1977) and got elected as a Press Secretary in 1984.

Became its Secretary General in 1985, and resigned from this post in 1996.

Got elected President of JKLF and Europe in May 1999, and decided not to contest in elections of July 2001.

Said good - bye to the JKLF as it is in many groups and is largely seen as advancing a Pakistani agenda on Kashmir dispute, and set up a new party Kashmir National Party in May 2008.

.

At present, he is:

·Spokesman Kashmir National Party and Director Diplomatic Committee;

·Spokesman for International KashmirAlliance;

·Founder member and Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs;

Previously

·A founder Member and Trustee/ Director of London based registered charity, Kashmir Foundation International and resigned from this position in August 2001.

·Regularly take part in the Sessions of the UN Human Rights (Commission) now Council in Geneva; and address various conferences and seminars to oppose violence and highlight the Kashmir cause.

·Participated in a Round Table Conference on Kashmir, organised by Socialist Group of European Parliament in Brussels in 1993.

·Addressed as a Chief Guest in a seminar on issue of Mangla Dam during the UN Sub Commission’s proceedings in August 2003.

·Addressed as a key - note speaker in a seminar on the issue of Gilgit and Baltistan, organised by Association of British Kashmiris.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker on human rights conference in Paris in 1991.

·Addressed at CambridgeUniversity as a Chief Guest in a conference on Kashmir in 1990.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker at New Delhi conference on Kashmir, which was part of Track Two diplomacy in November 2000.

·In September 2008, addressed a Conference arranged by Interfaith International in Geneva, topic of which was:“Kashmir Issue, Terrorism and Human Rights”.

·Addressed as a speaker in a NGO Conference on Self - Determination in Geneva in August 2000.

·Addressed as a keynote speaker in a fringe meeting of Liberal Democrats at their Annual Conference in Brighton in 1995.

·Participated in World Human Rights Conference in Vienna in 1993.

·Before President Clinton's visit to India and Pakistan in 2000, lead a JKLF delegation to the State Department to discuss Kashmir dispute and situation in South Asia.

·Also had two rounds of meetings with senior State Department officials before President Musharraf’s meeting to Washington in June 2003.

·Apart from that had meetings with senior officials including Ministers of different countries, and also held many meetings with the State Department and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials on number of occasions.

·Played important role in advancing a Kashmiri perspective on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir; and also helped Baroness Emma Nicholson with her report ‘Kashmir: present situation and future prospects’, which was adopted by the European Parliament in May 2007.

·Won first prize in an essay competition in Urdu in 1976. It was organised by High Commission of Pakistan in London, and title of the essay was 'Qaaid-e- Azam's role in Islamic History'.

·Apart from that have addressed conferences in Brussels, Geneva, Toronto, Islamabad, Delhi, and

Publications

·Got first Urdu novel ‘Fareena’ published at the age of eighteen.

·Second Urdu novel ‘Bay-Khataa’ which was about the problems of Asian youths living in UK published in 1983.

·Third Urdu book ‘Pakistan and Kashmiri struggle for independence’ published in 1990.

·Fourth Urdu book is also on Kashmiri struggle, 'Is an independent Kashmir a conspiracy?'

·Apart from that has twenty books and booklets published in English on various aspects of the Kashmiri struggle.

·Recent publications are: Kashmir dispute as I see it

·Different perspective on Kashmir

·JKLF visit to Pakistan Administered Kashmir

·Kashmir Needs Change of Heart

·If not self - determination then what?

·Emma Nicholson report- who has won?

·Struggle for independence, Jihad or proxy war (Introduction by Baroness Emma Nicholson)

·

Future publications

Following books were completed some time ago and shall be published in near future:

In Search of Freedom - My visit to Srinagar and Islamabad

Kashmir and Partition of India

A brief background

Dr Shabir Choudhry was born in a small village called Nakker Shimali (near Panjeri) in District Bhimber, Azad Kashmir. He went to UK in 1966, and like other people from the region, holds a dual nationality. He left secondary school in 1970 with no qualifications and began his life as a textile worker.

In 1975 he started part time studies and passed Matriculation from Government High School Panjeri, passed ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels from UK, and resumed full time degree course in 1981, and passed BA (Hons) in Politics and History in 1984.

He continued full time and part time jobs until he got his Mphil. He passed his PGCE (Post Graduates Certificate in Education) in 1990, and then started full time job as a Lecturer. Due to health problems he resigned from teaching in 1999. At present he is self - employed, provides private tuition, translation and interpretation and consultancy.

Through out his adult life he has actively worked for the cause of Kashmir, and even during long illness he effectively carried out his responsibilities as a leader of the JKLF, a ‘prolific writer’ and consistent campaigner of Rights Movement and peace in Jammu and Kashmir and South Asia.